Saturday, August 18, 2012

I Can See Your Underwear!

For the longest time I have held the belief that Chinese
people, who so love to copy western fashion would not take to the idea of
exposing their undergarments like many youths in America seem to think is so
fashionable these days.

I am now convinced I must revise my opinion. And not on the
basis of winter apparel but of what appears to be considered fashion this
summer.

I’m bringing winter garb into the picture because it is not
uncommon for women to go about in form-revealing tights and figure hugging tops
during the colder months. They are a bit bulky because those articles of
clothing are fur- or microfiber lined. Nevertheless the woman’s figure is
clearly depicted although not an inch of bare flesh is visible. To make the visual
easier, think ‘Cat Woman suit’ and you’ll have the right idea.

This discussion has to do with the ongoing breakdown of
what, till now, has been considered acceptable by this society and its
government.

While I don’t project males adopting the ‘sag’ look anytime
soon, it seems women’s fashions subtly encourage the flash of a bra strap… or
even the whole bra. This summer, in China, fashion means wearing see through
garments, net meshed tops or open backed apparel. All allow for a generous
display of lingerie beneath.

On more than one occasion, while running the streets of
Wuhan recently I’ve seen women wear dresses so sheer as to be completely
see-through, and they were not wearing a slip underneath. Not only in Wuhan but
also in Xi’an was this trend noticeable. It is not uncommon at all to see a
black bra under a light colored blouse, or brightly colored panties under a
light colored skirt. Twice while in Hanzhou and Wenzhou I saw women who were
wearing a top with net meshed back. One was wearing a black bra underneath and
the other woman wore a red bra that screamed against the whiteness of her skin.

I wonder if it is an intentional fashion statement or a
fashion faux pas on the part of the female? Is it supposed to be sexy?

Whether by mistake or design, it certainly makes a statement
on the liberation of females in China. Whereas before, women’s clothes were
sexy by virtue of what they conceal, now they seem racy because of what they
show. Form fitting silk garments with high necks that highlighted the sleekness
of their figure have been cast aside. Gone is the modesty that has dictated
their wardrobe choices till now. And apparently the government’s call for
modesty and virtue, as well.

Still, I wonder. Traditionally, the Chinese home does not
boast a plethora of full-length mirrors and the lighting is not that great. A
woman may well dress in something that might be considered light and
frothy,socially acceptable and be
absolutely unaware that she is out and about, appearing unclad once in direct
sunlight. Or, at least, not sufficiently clad. That might explain women going
forth in see-through clothing with their undergarments plainly visible.

Or, it may just be that women
intend to walk around with their underwear plainly visible.

As for the deliberately revealing clothing, one can reason
that if the store sells such apparel there must be a measure of approval on the
part of society and, if that particular garment is selling well, there must be
a demand for it. That might help explain the sudden surge of exposed flesh.

If women are going to wear open backed tops, why wear a wide
strapped, 4-hook bra underneath? Doesn’t that take away from the effect? If the
top is open backed, shouldn’t the exposed back be bare? Wouldn’t that be
sexier?

Am I just an old fuddy-duddy?

I recall the days where Madonna and Cher pranced all over
the stage in venues from coast to coast in their mesh-netted clothing and
barely there underwear. Well, barely there in Cher’s case. In Madonna’s case
the underwear was most definitely there, with foot-long spikes jutting from the
cups of her bra. But Madonna and Cher, among others, are performers whose acts
are choreographed to shock their audience. These women in China are not of such
an ilk. I presume they are women like every other woman who may or may not be
married, may or may not have a job, a child, and elderly parents to care for.
They may well be ignorant to the fact that walking around, exposing a wide,
4-hook bra strap is not really sexy so much as trashy… at least in my opinion.

How far is this going to go? Is Chinese fashion going to go
so far as “People of Walmart” style – where people wear whatever they feel like
and to the devil with societal acceptance/approval of such choices? Or will the
Chinese government step in and start regulating the fashion industry, as they
did the media and communications industry when television started showing too
many ‘self-absorption’ programs and not enough programming that promoted virtue
and morals that more closely reflect this country’s culture?

Who can say? Not me. what I can
tell you is that I find this trend disturbing.